Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Unilateral+park+declared+Tsilhqot+includes+Prosperity+mine/10192766/story.html
A recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada will have significant effects on economic development in the Interior of BC. Companies now wanting to develop land for resource extraction in the Tsilhqot’in region of BC will need full approval of the First Nations group. The Supreme Court of Canada made the decision in June, giving the Tsilhqot’in band 1,700 square kilometers of land. This decision has already had an effect on certain projects such as the Taseko Mines Fish Lake project, which actually lies outside of the Tsilqot’in territory. However the First Nation group plans to declare the area a tribal park, which could lead to some problems for Taseko mines in the future. If the First Nations group were to dispute the mine, the project could take years to complete and the dispute could be taken to the courts, costing both sides millions of dollars. This goes to show how the recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling will impact resource development in BC, especially if rulings like this one continue. Businesses will now have to improve relations with First Nations groups in order to receive approval on projects. They will also have to give the First Nations added economic benefits, such as a greater sharing of profits. Companies will now need First Nations approval on all projects inside of their borders, which will make decisions more lengthily and costly, as they will need to take into consideration additional environmental issues they may have been able to sidestep with only government approval. Both of these factors will need to be taken into account by Taseko Mines, as damaging their relationship with the group regarding the disputed fish lake project, may effect their ability to negotiate with the group in the future. Companies will need to adapt and learn to negotiate with the First Nations groups, more then they did in the past.
Source:
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/07/26/Tsilhqotin-With-Gloves/